The room was silent, broken only by the faint, rhythmic pulsing of the shard. Its dark glow illuminated the uneasy expressions of the group, casting long, shifting shadows on the walls. Even with the temporary victory, the oppressive presence of the Abyss hung over them like a weight.
Kaelith kneeled by the shard, her staff at her side. The silver runes she'd cast earlier flickered faintly, as though even her magic was fighting against the leftover Abyssal energy. She looked at Ryu, her blue eyes searching his face.
"It spoke to us," she said softly. "That voice-it wasn't just a projection. It was alive.
Ryu locked down Voidfang even tighter, the blade still singing faintly from its devastating attack. His eyes lingered on the dissolving Abyssal remnants staining the floor, their forms nothing more than dark mist. "Alive or not, it's testing us. Trying to break us down before making its move.